Registering for Signage RFP Opportinities

Before an supplier can submit their proposal for an Signage RFP, often they must first be registered with the government entity or agency that advertised the bid. Registering differs depending on the government entity; the federal government has a strict registration and vetting process, each state has their own procedure with generally fewer requirements than federal registrations but more than local registration, which usually only requires basic company information.

Registration requirements for the Federal Government are clearly defined. Supplier begin at the Central Contractor Registration (https://www.bpn.gov/ccr/default.aspx) where they simply click “Start New Registration.” When registering supplier will need the following information :
– Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number
– Tax Identification Number (TIN) or Employer Identification Number (EIN)
– Employee Information
– Company Information
– Electric Funds Transfer (EFT) Information

Registrants should expect registration to take about one hour, if all the required information is easily accessible. Additionally supplier will need to renew their registration every year, 12 months from the day you last registered. Initial registration can take between three to five business days, and renewals will usually require 24 hours.

Registering with state level government varies, though there are some consistencies. Like federal registration, supplier that would like to work with most states must have a TIN/EIN, basic company and employee information. For example, to register as a New York Government Supplier you must provide :
– Tax Identification Number (TIN) or Employer Identification Number (EIN)
– Annual Revenue
– Company Bonding Capacity
– Commodity codes (similar to the federal NAICS coding system)
– Portfolio of Recent Projects and Other Demonstrations of Active Business
– Proof of M/W/DBE status (learn more about M/W/DBE Suppliers)

Again, the required information varies, but having the basic information required for federal registration is a good start for most state registration.

There is no universal check lists supplier can follow when registering with local governments. Like state governments, it is helpful to at least have the EIN/TIN information accessible as well as company information. Also, unlike the federal and most state registrations, local registration is not online. Rather they have PDFs or paper forms that an entity must fill out and return to the Purchasing Director, either by email, fax or snail mail.